The Fowl Deception
by Earthborne
Summary: Holly was sent on a mission to check up on Fowl. When something dramatic happens, Holly finds herself in Fowl Manor, with an Artemis that seems to have forgotten everything. But has he? One Shot. Two parts. Holly X Artemis
1. Part One

This is a rather long one shot, so I separated it into two parts. Enjoy!

The Eternity Code _did_ happen. Review please!

By the way, the plot of this story was adapted from a book. I can't remember what book it was, I read it ages ago. But the thought of writing an Arty fic based on it stuck...

Disclaimer: I don't own Arty and co. And for once I do not have a witty anecdote to add to this sorry statement. T0T

* * *

Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit was just walking into Root's office when Foaly trotted up to her, swishing his tail. 

"Holly, come into my lab, Julius and I want to talk to you." He said, the somewhat-battered foil hat still on his head. She arched an eyebrow at him, but followed anyway.

When she entered the lab, she knew trouble was coming. Call it instinct. Root sat on a chair, puffing his cigar. Foaly neighed indignantly.

"Stop smoking, Julius, my computers don't like it!"

Root ignored him.

"Sir? You wanted to talk to me?" Holly inquired, bending slightly. Yes, she was bending. After the Fowl cases almost 6 years ago, she appeared to have grown taller - half a metre taller. Foaly theorized that it might be due to the radiation she faced at the Arctic, which must have somehow combined with her powers during the healing of her finger.

Her chestnut hair had changed too; she let it grow longer, just below her shoulder. But she mostly preferred it up in a ponytail.

"Yes, Holly, I'm afraid so. Remember Artemis Fowl?"

She frowned. How could she ever forget him? "Don't tell me he found us again!"

"No, no, not that. I want you to go and check up on him. NOT that I'm worried, just as a... precaution. Fowl is a sneaky Mud-Boy, even by human standards. There might be some slight chance he hid something somewhere or told someone something..."

"No offence sir, but aren't you being a bit paranoid? I did the _Mesmer_ and all, he couldn't possibly have-" But she was cut off by Root shouting.

"Just get up there! I don't want to do it either, I know I might just be paranoid, but you should know Fowl better than anyone else! I've learned my lesson _three_ times, Short, Fowl could be up to anything!"

Holly sighed. It wasn't fair she was doing this. She didn't want to go and see him again, after... all this time. Everytime she heard his name, her heart will do funny somersaults, and she was angry at herself for even thinking about him that way. But she nodded and walked out slowly.

* * *

Artemis Fowl the Second, almost 20, stepped out of the jet black Mercedes. He took in his surroundings with one imperious cerulean blue gaze, and stepped inside the cold steel building, Butler closed the car door. Juliet instead followed Artemis. 

He was still slender, yet his shoulders were broader, and his arms were lightly muscled. He stood proud with intelligence and cunning in his eyes, wearing power around him like a cloak. He strode up the stairs, Juliet trailing closely behind.

During the 6 years, many things had happened. With his recovery, Artemis Fowl the First decided to retire, passing the company to Artemis when he was only 17. He trusted his son. And so he and his wife both moved to New Zealand, where they planned to age gracefully. (Artemis visited them regularly, no matter how busy he was.)

Butler had also retired, leaving Juliet to do his job. No matter what Artemis told him, Butler knew that his days of guarding the Fowl heir were over, and he also knew that Juliet must take his place. Now Butler was simply chauffeur, personal trainer and coach to Artemis. Yes, Artemis was no longer weak. He learned his lesson in the Arctic.

Juliet changed a bit too. Even though she still loved wrestling,was fun and cheerful, sometimes quite immature, but when she's on her job and protecting Artemis, she becomes a ruthless bodyguard, able to kill 8 men at once, if she was required to do so.

Now Artemis was attending a board meeting with some of the most powerful people in the technological world. Fowl Industries was soaring in new inventions, doing a roaring trade in the stock market. Smaller companies had all merged with his.

Guards at the door opened the tinted glass, and cool, conditioned air flowed out from inside the boardroom. He took his seat at the far end of the table, and Juliet stationed herself behind her principle, her green glitter mascara eyes watching all the other bodyguards with cold disdain.

"Now, gentlemen." He said, and they began the meeting.

* * *

Evening, just as the sun hid below the mountain horizons, Holly flew over landscapes, farms, scenery, cities, on her way to Artemis Fowl. Foaly had managed to track him down, and now he's appearing as a red dot on her radar. 

As she flew closer and closer, her thoughts turned to him. How old is he now? 19? Almost 20? What will he look like? How tall? Will he be the same cold, Artemis she had encountered during her kidnap? After all, they _had_ mind-wiped him, with the slight chance of erasing his mind of the influence The People had had on him... She shook her head.

She was nearly there, with no time for distracting sentimental thoughts.

* * *

Artemis stepped out of the room feeling smug. He had just persuaded other companies to join with his, persuasion backed by the intensity and determination of his eyes. It never failed to frighten or give people the creeps. He exited the building, and told Butler that he would be back after awhile. He needed a bit of air and some Earl Grey Tea, to celebrate. Juliet followed behind him closely. Except of course she planned to order a double whipped cream coffee Latte with chocolate and cinnamon sprinkles.

* * *

Holly was finally there. She scanned the city streets, for any sign of the man giant, Butler. With no sign of him, she figured they must be in one of the shops. She inched by, careful not to bump into anyone. At last she spotted him, walking out of the cafe, with a cup in one hand and Juliet behind. That would explain Butler's absence, Holly thought. 

She hovered to his height, and found that, remarkably, she was only a head and a half shorter than Artemis Fowl. She wasted half a minute looking at him, then quickly began scanning his data into the computer, updating everything. It was then, that unfortunately, she strayed onto the road, and didn't notice when a cement truck came up, crashing into her.

All she felt was blinding pain at first, then her entire body went into numb shock. Her equipment malfunctioned, and she ceased to vibrate. The last thing she heard was gasps, and a far off voice saying, "Ma'am, are you alright?" Before she fell unconscious.

* * *

A soft voice was speaking somewhere a long way away, urging someone to wake up and swallow. Somebody swallowed obediently, got a mouthful of hot broth that made her choke, and opening her eyes, found herself in a four poster bed.The room magnificently caparisoned, a roaring fire at the far end, and a young girl with green glitter mascara staring at her in curiosity, a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other. 

"Better?" She asked, as she set the bowl down on the table beside her. "No, don't sit up yet, just lie quietly and rest while I inform my brother you're awake."

"Where am I?" Holly murmured, her head banging, throbbing REALLY horribly. She could hardly make herself think, let alone comprehend what's happened, so she lay back on the bed and passed out again.

When she awoke, there was someone else in the room, facing the open window, so she couldn't see their features. She groaned, her head still a bit dizzy. The noise attracted the person's attention.

"Ah, you're awake. I was quite worried, and Juliet was beside herself. Though I'm thankful to say that there's nothing wrong with you except trauma, and slight concussion. Checked you myself. I'm qualified, so don't worry." The male voice sounds familiar, Holly thought groggily, where have I heard it before?

"You were hit by a truck, rather careless of you, I might say, but you're fine now and that's all that matters."He explained.

Still only half awake, she lay contentedly listening to the voice and watching the blessed fire flickering, then she turned her head, and saw the person's face. He had a thin, thoughtful, calm, and curiously attractive face, with the most astonishingly blue eyes she had ever seen. His raven black hair ruffled with the wind from the slightly opened window. His black suit was immaculate.

And at that moment Holly realized exactly where she was and exactly who the person with that familiar voice was. She stared aghast at the young man by the window, who looked up, caught her eye and smiled, then carefully removed his jacket, and came over to stand at the foot of her bed. She couldn't really speak, her whole body was frozen. Air could hardly get into her lungs, and her heart was beating a tattoo in her chest. But he simply stood in silence, staring down at her with faint amusement in his eyes.

"Ma'am, I apologize that I don't know your name, and also that I haven't introduced myself to you. I am Artemis Fowl the Second, at your service." And swept her an elegant bow.

She was lost for words. She didn't know what had happened to make this person, who previously abducted her and exploited The People, to make him so... gentlemanly. A small part of her mind managed to admire the fact that his voice had turned deeper, smooth like velvet, and that his cheek bones had become more defined.

"I- I'm uh... Short, just call me Short." She managed to mumble, after gathering her thoughts, wits and sense.

"Well, Miss Short, in a few hours dinner will be ready. I trust you will join me? We will discuss your address afterwards." He raised his eyebrows. "Juliet will escort you. By the way, your things are beside the bed, on the chair. We had to remove it in order to check you for any injuries." And with that, he strode out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Holly quickly reached over and pulled her tranquilizer gun from its compartment on her helmet, and slid it into her boots. Everything was there, from the Buzz Baton to her helmet to even her Neutrino 2000 and wings. It was amazing they didn't just report her to the police, or the nearest asylum.

Why didn't he? She thought as she checked her equipment. It seems like he _had_ forgotten everything... Maybe she should just grab her things and run? It was then that she realized that a signal was coming in from her helmet. She put it on and accessed the mike.

"Foaly? You there?" She asked cautiously.

"Oh thank Frond! We thought we had lost you!" Foaly cried at the other end. Then, his voice turned into a whisper. "Uh-oh."

"Not really, just a bit of an accident..." Holly replied, and turned the volume down as low as it would go.

Root shoved his way to the mike, and roared into it, "**Where the D'Arvit are you**?"

Holly turned the volume back up. "Well, I was updating Fowl's data when uh... I got kinda distracted and uh... a truck hit me."

Dead silence.

"And I passed out. When I woke up... I found myself in-"

"Not the Mud Men hospital, Holly, I beg you, please don't tell me you're there." Root nearly pleaded.

Holly scowled. "Worse. I'm in Fowl Manor."

Dead silence again. Except this time she could hear faintly Root's ragged breathing, as if he was fighting a heart attack.

"So... Does he remember?" Foaly asked, guiding Root away from the mike and sitting him down on a chair.

"No; apparently, he told me that I'm okay besides some trauma and concussion, which I'm sure the magic would have fixed by now. Foaly, you won't believe this, Artemis Fowl has changed. He has changed so much he was actually _nice_ to me. He even gave me a formal introduction and swept me an elegant bow! I don't know what to say really, but -"

Root cut in again. "I don't care Holly, just grab your things and run. Report to me immediately. We can't risk him finding out about us again, Holly we can't risk it!" A vein pulsed dangeroulsy in his forehead, his blood pressure rocketing.

"Understood. But maybe I should continue to update his file? Or _mesmer_ him?" Holly asked, half of her wondering what the d'arvit was wrong with her, challenging a superior's order.

"Absolutely no, Holly. And no buts either. I want you back here right - "

"Sshh! Someone's coming!" Holly hissed into her mike and cut the connection. She had just removed the helmet from her head when the door opened.

"Miss Short? Dinner's ready!" Juliet cheerfully announced as she bounced into the room. "Oh, and you should change into these." She tossed Holly a pair of black pants and a dark hunter green halter top. "That jumpsuit got kinda ripped when the truck got you, so you can wear those instead. I'll wait outside."

Nothing for it, Holly thought to herself as she unzipped her jumpsuit and got into the clothes. They actually fit her. So she opened the door and followed Juliet down several corridors, down several stairs, wound along more halls and across even _more _rooms and finally into the 3rd Dining Room.

Then when Juliet moved to close the door, Holly grabbed her hands. "Wait! You're not eating with us?"

Juliet smiled and shook her head. "Yeah right! Master Artemis _always_ eats alone. You're a guest, so I suppose he's giving you the privilege to eat with him. I'll be down in the kitchens with my brother. Don't worry, he won't bite, or eat you." She lowered her voice."Just... avoid his eyes. Even _I_ find them creepy sometimes." and then with a dazzling Miss America smile, she closed the door with a somewhat final thud.

Avoid his eyes? That's the only thing I can't avoid tonight. She thought sarcastically. She wiped her sweatypalms on her pants, and surveyed the room. It was a magnificent structure, with oak and cherry wood, inlays of mahogany and maple. A huge fire sat roaring in a monstrous fireplace, its glow enough to light the entire room with almost no shadows.

Flower vases decorated each corner and wall, two bunches on either side of the mantel, and what appeared to be photos too. She walked over for a closer look.

The first picture was a young woman, Angeline, in a beautiful white spring dress, with a matching broad-rimmed hat, decorated with flowers, smiling and twirling happily under cherry trees, the flower petals swirling in the air.

The second was a man, Artemis Fowl Senior, one hand around a slightly older Angeline's waist, another outstretched, her hand in his, as they waltzed under a silent tune, smiling blissfully.

The third, Holly bent even closer, was of Artemis Senior and Angeline, holding a tiny bundle, a baby, with azure eyes like his father and tufted black hair, smiling innocently, one tiny hand clasped around Artemis Senior's forefinger. The three all smiled, without a worry, happiest in the world. She shook her head. And look what the son turned out to be.

But he's changed, the other side of her argued. You saw that yourself! Something definitely made him change. She shook her head. But what? She continued thinking.

"I see you found my family photos?" A clear voice behind her spoke, startling her.

"Oh um... yes. The first photo..."

"My mother." He supplied unnecessarily.

"Oh, really?" Play dumb, she told herself. "She's very beautiful."

He smiled. "I'm sure she will be pleased to hear that. My parents have retired, and is currently living in New Zealand."

"That's nice." She took a mental note of everything. She found herself avoiding his intent and smoldering gaze, instead staring a hole into the dining table.

"Shall we eat?" He moved to her end of the table, drawing a chair up for her. She sat down tentatively, as if she expected the seat to explode.

After he sat down, Butler came in with the food.

"An entree first, of course." Artemis explained. "Pumpkin soup? Excellent! Miss Short, I first tasted pumpkin soup when I was 6, while visiting England for a week. It was about the only thing I had, for you see, as I was staying there with my mother and her friend, the only thing that the chef could cook was tripe, haggis and pumpkin soup. I tried the haggis, and it was the worst thing I had ever tasted and it seems my mother's friend - "

The story was so outrageously funny - especially when the friend seemed bent on getting Artemis to try the Haggis, then the Blood Pudding, while Artemis secretly smuggled the food to a napkin and gave it to Butler (who excused himself every so often to throw it out in the garden), that Holly couldn't resist telling of the time that her 'friend' (Foaly) was so paranoid about being detected by the Government spies, that he stood in a trough of eel's eyes under a full moon (from HP) wearing a tin foil hat with mirrors stuck on.

By the time dessert had come, they were arguing like old friends, about who was more likely to have his heart explode by Christmas, her 'Uncle" (Root) or his great-grandfather, Artemis insisting that he was more hard to live by.

"Is he _that_ bad?" Holly asked, spooning some ice cream into her mouth (best she had ever tasted).

"Well, when I was born, he took one look at me and exclaimed that I was the ugliest rat of a newborn baby that he had ever seen, whereupon I instantly stuck a finger into his eye."

"Good on you then, except my 'uncle' flourishes his cigar and stamps his foot like one of those tyrant fathers in very bad comedies. He turns so red I'd expect he'd have permanent brain damage by now."

He laughed, actually laughed, in such sincerity that she couldn't help but admire how his eyes crinkle, for once free of sinister thoughts. Her heart clenched painfully. She wondered why he hadn't asked her where she lived, if he forgot everything? Most people would immediately ask... She waved the thought away. She had completely forgotten about _mesmer_izing him.

And he controlled himself enough to say,

"At least your uncle didn't try to marry you off to a half-wit when you're barely 15!"

"A half-wit?" She asked, still eating the ice cream, her face slightly flushed and pink from laughing so much.

"Oh, she was one of the most asinine women to my knowledge." He stated, a frown etched in his face, "She was what my great grandfather called a 'great' beauty, what with her blue eyes and blonde hair, some sort of supermodel figure and a bit of intelligence." He scoffed."But how she even got a scholarship for psychology is lost upon me. I had some tolerance for her then, but whenever I spoke to her, she would say, "Yes, Arty!" and giggle and flutter her eyelashes at me."

"Really? And I thought most guys would be flattered?"

"Exactly what my great grandfather told me. Except it only flattered men in the colonial times. So I told him that if I was supposed to be flattered, I'd rather die a single lonely old man. I will only ever marry if I find a woman as intelligent as I am. Hardly possible, but Miss Short, what are you laughing at?"

And indeed, Holly was laughing so hard she was bent double in her chair, clutching her stomach. "I'm sorry! I know it's rude to laugh, but -" She composed herself, " b-but it was the way you said it, a-as if all you had to do was give her notice of your intentions -- a-and I was only wondering how'd you feel if s-she had the -- the intelligence to refuse you!"

"She won't, Miss Short, I'm like my great grandfather, remarkably set in having my ways, as with all Fowls, dating back along the family history. We even have a motto about it, besides _Aurum est potestas_ 'Gold is Power', we have, _Quod desidero obtineo_, which, roughly translated from the Latin, means: 'I get what I want'"

"You wait till you meet the young lady, Artemis." She chuckled, her heart filling with an aching, painful love for him, even though she knew she shouldn't, because in the end, it would only hurt her more.

"I met her, Miss Short, this evening."

He said it quite slowly and casually, without the slightest change in his calm voice - indeed, he wasn't so much as looking at her, but twirling the stem of the wineglass and gazing into the fire. Unfortunately, Holly knew Artemis Fowl well enough that his air of elegant heedlessness did not deceive her in the least.

"I- I need a new napkin! Would you please get one for me?" Holly stammered. He nodded wordlessly, stood up and went to the door. Holly clutched her chest, breathing hard.

She fumbled in her boot, taking out the tranquilizer gun. Her heart hammering, she popped the bottle out, put seven drops into the cup, seven enough to knock a strong man flat. Perhaps except Butler. He might need the whole bottle just to make him drowsy, Holly jokingly thought, trying to ease the heavy guilt in her chest. She put the bottle back and ran to the bathroom, previously shown to her by Juliet.

She stumbled in, locking the door behind her. She knew it. She knew she should have just taken her things and escaped. Tears ran down her face, blurring her vision. Oh, how _stupid_ can she be? She splashed water on her face, drying it with a white fluffy towel. She glared at herself, red eyed, in the mirror. Get on with it, she told herself fiercely, the longer you put it off, the worse it will hurt in the end. You were a stupid fool to let him talk to you at all! D'Arvit! She swore silently.  
(She didn't even realize that her excuse of 'I need a new napkin' was quite unbearably lame and pathetic, not to mention that Fowl had done so without simply ringing for Butler).

When she got back to the dining room, Artemis Fowl was already seated, observing the wineglass in his hand. She hadn't really noticed it before, but his was crimson, with an emeraldsnake wrapped around the stem, diamond eyes glittering. Her one was turquoise, an aquamarine dolphin instead of a snake, sapphire instead of diamond.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" He said as she sat down. "They are Venetian glasses, my father brought them from Italy, to serve this particular wine."

"Really?" Was all she could say. They didn't get back on the matter of the intelligent young lady.

"Yes, and I suppose as they are Venetian glasses, we might also drink it in the Venetian manner?"

"What is the Venetian manner, Artemis?" Although some part of her already knew, and her heart sank into her boots.

"This." He moved so fast that she didn't know what had happened until she found herself staring at the crimson cup. "In Venice," he explained kindly, "The host and guest always switch glasses, just in case one might be poisoned. Pretty curious tradition, isn't it?" Then, without altering his voice in the least: "What did you put in that cup, Miss Short? Tranquilizer from the gun?

"I- I don't know what you mean." She stammered feebly.

"That's good. I should hate for anything to happen to you. Shall I make the toast?"

"Please give me back my cup, Artemis, and stop this nonsense."

"But is it nonsense?" Inquired Artemis. "I wonder." The sarcasm in his voice might as well have slapped her.

"Please, Artemis, I - I- uh, fear snakes very much." She almost laughed at herself, her meek reply was so lame.

"Indeed, Miss Short? I thought of you as a woman with a mind above these trivial phobias."

"I tell you, I did not poison your wine." Her voice was almost desperate, she clutched at her (new) napkin, twisting it.

" Don't worry, I don't blame you, it's just that the lack of trust and intelligence that disappoints me.

"Did you think I would not notice the equipment you carried? And how one of them disappeared?" He spoke gently, the slightest hint he was hurt. His cobalt gaze pierced through her hazel ones.

"You're wrong, Artemis, you're wrong..." But even in her own ears, Holly knew her voice was unconvincing. Her chest was shot by a rather painful jab when she realized his hurt.

"I am delighted to hear it, Miss Short, so now, on the assumption you did not poison the wine, you will of course have no hesitation of drinking it with me."

Or, less politely: take the wine and prove yourself a liar; refuse to take it, and prove yourself a liar just the same.

"I propose a toast to my intelligent young lady - if she exists." He said, raising the glass, and emptied it.

"To your intelligent young lady then, Artemis Fowl," She responded calmly, and drank her own.

He turned sharply to look at her, and they stared at each other in such a tense silence she could hear the whispering of the log as it crackled in the fire.

Artemis sighed, and put his glass down in the dead center of his plate. "Amazing. I was wrong," he remarked. "The tranquilizer was in the green glass all the time, wasn't it?"

Holly gave a small nod. "I didn't know how I was to take the drug out without you knowing it, so the only choice I had was to let you know, because then you would think it amusing to pretend you hadn't." She was trembling, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Holly's voice sounded exhausted. "You like watching other people make fools of themselves, don't you? And leading them on, then hanging them with their own rope at the very last minute? And I wouldn't attempt to rise if I were you, Artemis Fowl. You'll be unconscious in a second."

But Artemis had risen already, and she never really knew how he did it, how he was able to stand. He should be out cold, but insanely, incredibly, he remained erect and unruffled.

"A gentleman can hardly continue to sit," he explained in his most serenest and level voice, "when he asks a very remarkable young lady to do him the honor of marrying him. And - " he actually managed to smirk wickedly at Holly, "I usually get what I want, Miss Captain Holly Short."

And crumpled to the floor.

* * *

What a cliffhanger, eh? You _might_ have noticed something was wrong in his last sentence, you might not. If you haven't figured it out, help review and you'll get the answer in the next chappie! 

Review and I promise more! This is actually the longest chapter I've ever written. 13 bloody pages! Took me all night! Please review!

P.s. And yes, I live in New Zealand, so I favor it. :P!  
And some of you might complain that Arty shouldn't have been stupid enough to fall for that reverse psychology, but hey, he might have thought about it too much. and it became reverse reverse psychology! >:D

Cheers,

Earthborne


	2. Part Two End

I know Artemis seems a bit OCC in this story... sorry!

Please review.

Disclaimer. I don't own Arty and co.! Nor the book this story was based on!

* * *

Holly didn't know what to do. She sat there staring at Artemis Fowl's crumpled form, hardly daring to believe what he had just said. 

_Flashback _

_"A gentleman can hardly remain sitting, when he asks a very remarkable young lady to do him the honor of marrying him. And, I usually get what I want, Miss Captain Holly Short."_

_Flashback End _

He knew. She thought as she ran back into her room. He knew _all _along whom she was. He _never_ forgot. Again, he has led her on in this frustrating dance, just like she said herself, "you like hanging people with their own rope at the very last minute".

But... how? How did he remember? Was there something he actually _did_ manage to hide, even from the _Mesmer_? She stuffed her jumpsuit into her bag, strapped on the wings and jumped out the window, speeding towards Tara.

She didn't turn the connection on. She couldn't. She was sobbing too hard, the realization that Artemis Fowl _hadn't _forgotten finally hit her. And the fact that he asked her to marry him. She fumbled with the visor, pulling it up and wiping her tears away. Only when she was sure she was under control, she opened the connection to Foaly.

"Foaly?"Trembling, she whispered, "are you alone?"

"Yeah. What happened, Holly?" He asked.

"He- Artemis, he never forgot! He knew all along who I was! He, I don't know why but he pretended he didn't know me!"

"Oh Frond!" Foaly moaned. "Holly, how did you get away?"

"I put the tranquilizer from the tranquilizer gun into his wine."

"How many drops?"

"Seven."

"Seven... That would keep him down for a long time. Where's Butler and his sister?"

"Butler's at his friend's house, and Juliet went off to a wrestling tournament."

"Good. I'll send a a squad to bring him in. Then we'll _Mesmer_ize him, ask him how he escaped last time and then we'll Mind-Wipe him. I'll go tell Julius."

"No. Don't. Don't bring him in, Foaly, please. I- I can't face him." She let out a choked sob.

Foaly's finger hovered over the dispatching button. "Holly? Holly, what's wrong?"

"Artemis, Foaly. He asked me to marry him." Her voice was weak.

Foaly's jaw dropped to the floor. His foil hat slipped off. "Holly, do you know what happens to fairies who lie?"

"He asked me to marry him."

"Not truth and honor?" He asked incredulously.

"Truth and honor. He also told me he usually got what he wanted." She blushed, but not that he could see.

"He did, did he?" Foaly gave a longneigh of amazement and then suddenly began to laugh.

"I believe he made the same remark once before - when he made an almost impossible mission of abducting a certain fairy, holding her to ransom, and expecting us to just hand over the money and walk away.

He claimed he could escape the Blue Rinse. I told him he has as much chance of doing so as flying away to Pluto and back."

"Foaly!" She yelled into the mike. His carelessness was beginning to get to her.

"And he did, Holly, he escaped it. I'm sorry for you, Holly. When's the wedding?" He chortled, having quite a laugh at her expense. It wasn't like Artemi's affection for her was well concealed; Foaly could already tell they were going to get together, like every other main guy and girl character in every book.

"Foaly, you know it's impossible for a fairy to marry a human, much less _me_ marrying _him_." Foaly's joking manner brought her senses and wits back. She shook her head, and tried to shake off the feeling of Artemis's eyes on her.

"Don't say it so soon, Holly. We have historical records of some fairies who have escaped to live above ground, even marrying humans, although there was only ever two that did."

"You're being unreasonable, Foaly. There won't be a wedding if you insist on bringing him in and doing the Mind-Wipe, which, I've decided is the best thing to do now. And he'll never trick us again this time."

"Have you said no?" He asked slyly.

"What do you mean?" Although she had a perfectly good idea of what he meant.

"Don't play dumb Holly, I meant, have you said no to him, as in, his question in you marrying him?"

She was blushing to the tips of her auburn hair, and she only managed not to scream at Foaly. "No, I have not said no, because he passed out right after he asked me. I'm sure he won't be asking again, not after we're done with him."

"I expect you'll find that out." Said Foaly placidly.

* * *

Artemis Fowl woke to find himself behind bars and shackled by the left hand to the wall. He rubbed his face with the right, taking in his surroundings. 

"Let's see..." He muttered to himself. Damp walls, small bed, not too dirty, extremely cramped space, and no windows whatsoever. Great, he thought to himself. I'm in fairy jail. At least my suit is still clean, he thought, inspecting the dark suit meticulously.

The soft pitter-pattering of feet startled him, and he pretended to be unconscious. Looking through a small crack in his eye, he identified the person to be Holly, pushing a trolley laden with food.

Then came the sound of two sets of footsteps. Holly pushed the tray behind her, as if she was caught doing something she wasn't supposed to.

"Well, well, well, Holly!" Foaly smirked as he trotted closer. "Guess you finally couldn't resist taking a look at our favorite mud boy? Sneaking him food now, are we?"

Holly responded by kicking him in the shin. "No, I'm just checking to see if he's awake. It's been three days. I still feel slightly guilty about the tranquilizer."

Foaly broke down helplessly into neighing laughter. "I still can't believe he asked you what he did, Holly. You have the worst luck with that man of yours, don't you?"

"He isn't any man of mine!" Said Holly indignantly. Her coffee colored skin was tinged with pink.

"No?" He smirked."Who spent the last three days staring wistfully at the jail as you went past?"

"Foaly, shut up!" Cried Holly sharply.

"Who made me throw away three days of my time trying to get him released or exchanged? Root wouldn't have it, when he found out. You know what a waste of time that was? I told you they'd sooner turn the devil loose. And you still owe me a carton of carrots."

"It was only because I was grateful to him for saving my life, not to mention saving The People from being found out."

"Well, I was grateful too, but it didn't make me stop and gaze at a jail as if it were my hope of heaven everytime I went past!"

"I never did any such - "

"Who always gets what he wants, Holly?" He was really enjoying himself now, the smirk still plastered upon his face.

"Foaly! Stop being so impossible!" Holly cried, her face crimson.

Foaly laughed, "I suppose he'll be giving you the wedding ring soon!" And trotted away. Holly glared at Foaly's retreating back.

Artemis grinned to himself. He stood up, leaned slightly against the wall and remarked, "How kind of you, Holly, to remember that I might be hungry."

Holly jumped two feet in the air. She nearly screamed, but training kept her mouth shut. "How long were you awake?" She demanded, her face so red she could give Root a run for his money.

"Quite a while." He murmured. "Would you mind if I run myself into serious difficulties every now and then after we are married, just to see you rise to such an occasion?" He smirked.

Holly did not answer. Instead she took the tray, opened the jail door, came inside and put the food on the tiny table. Artemis stretched a bit, and looked at her. She was determinedly _not_ looking at him however.

"What are you going to do with me, Holly?"

There was another moment of silence.

"Well, for one thing, when Root finds out you're awake, he will be issuing a _mesmer_ of you to find out how you managed to remember us again, then he will mind wipe you, and send you home." Said Holly at last, rather briskly and firmly, her eyes on the food. "Of course, I would like to know myself how you managed to - "

"I didn't ask what they were going to do with me, I asked what _you_ were going to do with me." He moved to block the door.

"How you managed to escape the Mesmer," Holly went on, as if she didn't hear him speak.

"Why did you spend the last three days staring at the jail everytime you went past?"

"And we will conduct a thorough search - " continued Holly, without heeding Artemis in the least.

"Why did you make good Foaly waste three days in those perfectly ridiculous attempts to get me released or exchanged?"

"Conduct a thorough search to see if you have any more things that can - "

" Why did you stop to stare at a jail everytime you passed it?"

"That can trigger any more memories." She finished, still staring determinedly at the food.

"Who always gets what he wants, Holly?" He asked gently.

"Will you move Artemis Fowl?" She asked the food.

"As soon as you answer my question. Who always gets what he wants, Holly?"

"Artemis, please! I can't discuss this with you now - later - some other time - "

"Who always gets what he wants, Holly?" He demanded again softly, holding out both his hands to her.

"You do," Said Holly helplessly, and put hers into them.

"When the interrogation's over? After a year?"

"After a year." She promised gravely. "But how? After the interrogation you will be mind wiped!"

"I've got my ways. I'll explain it to you when we meet again."

He moved so she was at the door's exit. "Do you remember what Foaly said I was going to give you?" He asked.

"Yes, of course, but - "

"It wouldn't do to disappoint Foaly now, would it?" And felt in his pocket for his family's signet ring. He bent closer to her, and gave her a swift, fleeting kiss, dropped the ring into her hand, and said, "Keep that for me until I give you the real one."

* * *

_Almost a year later_

"I still can't believe you're planning to elope." Foaly said, as he shook his head.

"I'm not eloping, I'm just... well, Root said I could have a two week vacation." Said Holly as she began packing.

"Does he know you're going to use it to get married?" He asked dryly.

"Um... I'll tell him when I get back." And she continued to pack. She refused think about what would happen when she told him. Foaly answered that.

"His heart's really going to explode this time, you know. How do you plan to keep this up?"

"Well, we agreed that for the first two years, I'll just keep visiting him regularly, and after that, I quit the job and live above ground."

"Right. How are you _ever_ going to pull this off? You know as well as I do that you'll outlive him by at least a hundred years."

She stopped packing. Looking down at the ground, she fingered the Fowl Family Signet Ring on the ring finger of her left hand. "I know," She muttered, "but being married to him, even for a few decades, is enough for me. Hn, I might even get that HGH surgery." Foaly looked at her sharply.

"Don't look so sad Holly! I even brought you a bride-gift all the way from above ground! It's in the treasure room." He smiled (evilly).

Holly gave Foaly a quick suspicious glance, and he stared back at her innocently. The treasure room was a nickname for valuable things that they got off from thieves, or just some things that can't be returned to the original owner, and too valuable to be thrown away.

"You might at least say thank you," he remarked in a deeply injured voice. "Why don't you just go and see what it is before I begin to imagine that you don't really appreciate me?"

She went along to the treasure room, her hand on the doorknob, prepared for anything, from a live frog in a bracelet box to a wedding dress in green. She opened the door, to see an elegantly dressed young man in a black immaculate suit, with his back to her, apparently absorbed in examining one of the Alchemy vats.

"I'm sorry, Holly. I'm afraid this is Foaly's idea of a joke. I met his friend by chance as I was hanging around Tara, and after Foaly persuaded him, he was kind enough about bringing me here, and I just couldn't refuse this chance. By the way, do you still have that ring I gave you?"

She held out the ring to him dumbly, not sure what to say. He took the ring from her hand, then, kneeling down and taking her left hand he said in his most gallant voice, "Will you do me the honor of marrying me, Holly Short?"

She smiled, then she laughed, blushing madly. "Yes!" she said, and he slipped a beautiful ring decorated with sapphires and diamonds onto her finger, and kissed her hand. She pulled him up, and kissed him on the mouth, hugging him fiercely. He laughed and kissed her back.

As they came out of the treasure room, they saw that Foaly and Root had just walked past, with Root smoking his cigar and remarking, "What I don't understand, pony, is why Holly should have taken him off to the treasure room."

Holly's jaw dropped.

"That is indeed quite puzzling, Julius," Foaly agreed, winking at Holly across his shoulder. "You'll have to ask Holly. Perhaps she thought he was valuable."

While Holly fumed, Artemis smirked.

* * *

Yes, this _was_ a rather short chapter compared to the last one. Still, I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it! Grin Please review! I will be most grateful! 

Cheers,

Earthborne


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